Argyranthemum plant named ‘Bonmad 1498’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Argyranthemum  plant named ‘Bonmad 1498’, characterized by its compact, upright, uniform and mounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit; early and freely flowering habit; semi-double-type inflorescences with ray florets that are initially light yellow in color with development becoming deep pink to moderately purplish pink and pale yellow in color and yellow orange-colored disc florets; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Argyranthemum x hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BONMAD 1498’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Argyranthemum plant, botanically known as Argyranthemum x hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Bonmad 1498’.

The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact and freely flowering Argyranthemum plants with attractive floret colors and good garden performance.

The new Argyranthemum plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in 2012 in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia of a proprietary selection of Argyranthemum x hybrida identified as code number 11-316, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a mixture of pollen from 13 unidentified proprietary selections of Argyranthemum x hybrida, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Argyranthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia in June, 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Argyranthemum plant by vegetative tip cuttings was first conducted in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia in June, 2014. Asexual reproduction by cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Argyranthemum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Argyranthemum have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Bonmad 1498’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Bonmad 1498’ as a new and distinct Argyranthemum cultivar:

-   -   1. Compact, upright, uniform and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Semi-double-type inflorescences with ray florets that are         initially light yellow in color with development becoming deep         pink to moderately purplish pink and pale yellow in color and         yellow orange-colored disc florets.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Argyranthemum differ from plants of the female parent selection in ray floret color. Ray florets of plants of the new Argyranthemum are initially light yellow in color with development becoming deep pink to moderately purplish pink and pale yellow in color whereas ray florets of plants of the female parent selection are red in color.

Plants of the new Argyranthemum differ from plants of the male parent selections in ray floret color. Ray florets of plants of the new Argyranthemum are initially light yellow in color with development becoming deep pink to moderately purplish pink and pale yellow in color whereas ray florets of plants of the 13 male parent selections are either yellow, pink or red in color.

Plants of the new Argyranthemum can be compared to plants of the Argyranthemum x hybrida ‘Bonmadhopi’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Argyranthemum differ from plants of ‘Bonmadhopi’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Argyranthemum are taller and broader than         plants of ‘Bonmadhopi’.     -   2. Plants of the new Argyranthemum have smaller leaves than         plants of ‘Bonmadhopi’.     -   3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Argyranthemum are         semi-double types whereas inflorescences of plants of         ‘Bonmadhopi’ are single-types.     -   4. Ray florets of plants of the new Argyranthemum are initially         light yellow in color with development becoming deep pink to         moderately purplish pink and pale yellow in color whereas ray         florets of plants of ‘Bonmadhopi’ are red purple and white in         color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Argyranthemum plant. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Argyranthemum plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1 of 2) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Bonmad 1498’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2 of 2) is a close view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Bonmad 1498’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the spring in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in an outdoor nursery and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial potted Argyranthemum production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged 13° C. Plants used in the photographs were four months old and plants used for the detailed description were five months old. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Argyranthemum x hybrida ‘Bonmad 1498’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Argyranthemum x hybrida identified as code number 11-316,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Pollen mixture from 13 unidentified             proprietary selection of Argyranthemum x hybrida, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About six to nine             days at temperatures of about 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and             winter.—About three weeks at temperatures of about 20° C. to             25° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; typically white in color, actual             color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition,             water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate             temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous semi-double-type potted             Argyranthemum; compact, upright, uniform and mounded plant             habit; strong and freely branching growth habit with about             four to five primary lateral branches developing per plant;             dense and full plants; pinching will enhance lateral             branching; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 30 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 40 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 4.6 cm. Diameter: About             4.7 mm. Internode length: About 8 mm. Strength: Strong;             young stems, flexible. Aspect: Upright to somewhat             outwardly. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 145B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 4 cm.         -   Width.—About 3.4 cm.         -   Lateral lobe length.—About 2.3 cm.         -   Lateral lobe width.—About 6.8 mm.         -   Lateral lobe depth of incision.—About 2 cm.         -   Shape.—Obovate, palmately-parted.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Palmately-parted.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation.—Pinnate, reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137C.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137D. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B; venation,             close to 138A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 137C; venation, close to 138A.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.1 cm. Diameter: About 2.8 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper surface: Close to 137B. Color, lower surface: Close to             137C. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Semi-double-type inflorescence form with             elliptic-shaped ray florets and tubular disc florets;             solitary upright inflorescences borne on terminals above             foliar plane; ray and disc florets arranged acropetally on a             capitulum.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering season and response.—Plants flower from spring             through late autumn in Japan; flowering continuous during             this period; early flowering habit, plants begin flowering             about twelve weeks after sticking unrooted cuttings.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences last about two weeks             on the plant; inflorescences persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering habit with             numerous inflorescences developing per lateral branch.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About             1.1 cm. Shape: Globose. Color: Distally, close to 51D;             proximally, close to 4C.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 4.4 cm. Depth (height):             About 1.3 cm. Diameter of disc: About 1.4 cm.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 22 ray florets             arranged in one to two whorls; ray florets imbricate.             Length: About 1.5 cm. Width: About 7.3 mm. Shape: Elliptic.             Apex: Rounded, occasionally emarginate or retuse. Base:             Cuneate to attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Glabrous; longitudinally ribbed. Color: When             opening, upper surface: Close to 4C. When opening, lower             surface: Close to 54C; towards the base, close to 4C. Fully             opened, upper surface: Close to 39C and 51C; with             development, a mixture of close to 54D and 4D; venation,             similar to lamina colors. Fully opened, lower surface: Close             to 51D; venation, close to 51D; color does not change with             development.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 150 massed at             center of receptacle in numerous whorls. Shape: Tubular.             Apex: Acute, five-pointed. Length: About 5 mm. Diameter:             About 1.9 mm. Color, immature and mature: Close to between             14A to 21A.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity and arrangement: About 21 arranged in             several whorls; phyllaries imbricate. Involucral diameter:             About 1.2 cm. Length: About 4 mm. Width: About 2.8 mm.             Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate, fused.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6.9 cm. Diameter: About 1.3 cm.             Aspect: Mostly upright. Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 138A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Quantity per floret: About five. Anther shape:             Ellipsoidal. Anther color: Close to 13A. Pollen amount:             Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 17B. Gynoecium: Present on             both ray and disc florets. Quantity per floret: One. Pistil             length: About 4.2 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color:             Close to 13A. Ovary color: Close to 154C.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit production have             not been observed on plants of the new Argyranthemum. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, resistance to pathogens and     pests common to Argyranthemums has not been observed on plants grown     under commercial conditions. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Argyranthemum have been     observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain     and temperatures from about 0° C. to about 35° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Argyranthemum plant named ‘Bonmad 1498’ as illustrated and described. 